Nostalgic Journey.

29th. November 2008, at 1600 hrs, I left for Port Dickson. I took the Kesas Highway and headed for KLIA. Before KLIA, I turned left and stopped at the beautiful and under utilized Mosque for my Asar prayer. I passed the F1 circuit and headed for the Selangor border town of Sepang. This town was my normal route in the 80s and 90s when I was still working. Surprisingly, the town smelt better now. Pig farming had been scaled down or had been transferred elsewhere.

Water at Sugai Sepang is much clearer, compared to those time it was blackish. As I was driving toward Lukut, all the Guthrie signboard at the former Guthrie Estates had now been changed to Sime Darby Plantations. As I was passing Tanah Merah Estate office complex, I was so sad to see it was so gloomy and quiet. The tennis court was empty and the Club House closed. The oil palm nursery in front of the Club House is no more there. During my Guthrie days, there was lot of activities around this area. The water sprinkler was watering the seedlings and the Assistants and the Managers were either at the tennis Court or at the billiard table. Some like me, who often dropped by became the member of the Bar Council. I was so sad to see the place now was almost deserted.

Nearing Lukut town, I passed by the rubbish dumpsite. I smiled to myself because at this place I burnt all the rejected rubber toys and the fire was so big even an Assemblyman stopped by to inquire what was happening. I was posted to Guthrie Bendy Toys Port Dickson to do an audit of the rejected toys and to witness the disposal. During the 80s, Jabatan Alam Sekitar was not heard off.

The main reason to Port Dickson was to attend a Reunion Dinner of Esso Port Dickson Refinery at Glory Beach Resort. I told Sharo, my PD colleague to book me a single room at Glory Beach. Unfortunately, there is no single room there and he got me a room at Beach Front Hotel, a kilometer away. Found the Hotel and it was located just opposite where I was staying during my bachelor days in Port Dickson. My car used to breakdown at the wall by the beach front and it normally happened late at night. I smiled and thank Allah, right where I was standing 40 years ago and breathing and I am still breathing 40 years later now.

The gathering started at 1930 hrs and stream of old boys walked in. Some don’t even recognize me anymore. I do not wear spectacles anymore and I have a white beard. Complete contrast of Mustapa of those days. To name a few of familiar specimes were Sabudin, Ali Karim, Chin Fun Chee, Kadir Mamak, Teoh Hui Seng, Kan See Mun, John Jew Wong, Ricky Tajudin, Chan On Wai, Harith Takiman, Ng Tiong Seng, Chelvam, Maheswaran, Osman, Sharo, Malik Yasin, Kang Lin Tong, Yeo Yan Teng and many others. The Guest of Honour was the Refiney Manager, Encik Bakar. During my time in the 60s and 70s, I never dreamt that a Malay guy to be the Esso Refinery Manager. It was only for the Americans and I recalled, Bushacker, J J Desmond and H B Canavan.

It was nice to meet plenty of old buddies again. We talked about the good and bad times when we worked together. I defended the late Mah Ah Chong, the Unit Day Superintendent who was exceptionally nice to me. To some, he was a tyrant. Actually, late Mah Ah Chong was a very nice man, he looked serious all right but he had a golden heart. Immediately he came back from Greece, he came to the Refinery one Sunday and pulled me to his Office. We had a pep talk and he told me he wanted to have questions and answer sessions with me. He caught me by surprise and I answered all the questions he asked. After the session he smilingly told me, he superseded all my immediate reporting Superintendents and he did not understand what was going on while he was away in Greece. My perception of Mah Ah Chong took a complete turn.

Some of us retired from Esso and some left to join other establishments. I left in April 1973. However, we still maintain the comrade at arm during the Esso days. We also talked about those who we were unable to attend. Those who have gone back to meet the Creator, migrated, those in hospitals and also those who did not want to fork RM 50 for the function. I came to know, Ng Koy Bee in ICU suffering from an acute stroke, Yap Chee Meang is nearly blinded, ZA (full name withheld) is in hibernation and many other interesting updates about our colleagues. Of course those migrated was mostly Chinaman. I wanted badly to meet Mazlan Chico and Ho Kok Lim, unfortunately they did not attend. I remember Ho Kok Lin who always blamed Oh Chin Weng for every little thing.

After the lucky draw, the reunion dinner ended at about 2300 hrs. However, about 12 of us adjourned to the nearest Mamak shop and we continued our chit chat until about 0130 hours. More laughter followed and more nostalgic stories were shared. Who dated whom and who married whose daughter and what not. The jokes and stories what happened in the Control Room was shared. Sabudin was telling how the late Hassan Cowboy and me played a prank on ZA tin of lychee.

The reunion ended at last and we promised to meet again in 2010. Insyaalah, if I am still around, I will make the trip again to Port Dickson.